


linger a little longer (for me)

by greedlings



Category: Persona 5
Genre: First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Protagonist is called Akira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25055434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greedlings/pseuds/greedlings
Summary: After a day spent worrying about Ryuji's strange behavior, Akira isn't expecting the answer he's given when he asks. Not that he'll complain, of course.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 5
Kudos: 126





	linger a little longer (for me)

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY RYUJI DAY!!!!! this is a fic i started writing before i even finished the game (almost two years ago... damn) and i decided it was time to finish it off for best boys birthday :') there's probably a clear line between the old writing and the new writing but like. who cares.
> 
> also i totally forgot to write morgana in but he's chillin at the sakura's probably

It had been Ryuji’s idea to hang out that day; he would provide the video games and the snacks, and Akira would provide lunch, refreshments, and the console. It wasn’t unusual for them to get together like this, either.

What was unusual was the frustrated scowl on Ryuji’s face when he arrived at Leblanc.

“Your friend seems upset,” Sojiro said quietly as Akira passed him, concern lacing his tone. He glanced over at Ryuji, then to Akira, “Of course, you of all people will be able to get it out of him. Just don’t be too loud, okay? It’s the perfect weather for customers.”

Akira nodded, then walked over to the booth that Ryuji was sitting in. When Akira sat down, Ryuji seemed to flip a switch, plastering a widespread grin across his face.

“Are you ready to get your ass kicked today?” he said, grabbing the game off the top of the small stack he had beside him, “I brought Super Bash Bros, and there’s _no way_ I’m gonna lose my win streak.”

Akira laughed and led Ryuji upstairs, trying to think of what could have caused Ryuji’s frown. Even as Akira set up the system with the disk, Ryuji seemed only half there; his eyes were glossy, staring straight at the screen with the slightest frown on his face. 

But Akira wasn’t going to pry. Besides, Ryuji told him everything; if something was on his mind, Akira was sure Ryuji would tell him.

“It’s all set up,” Akira said. Ryuji blinked a few times, then his face resumed his typical grin.

“Let’s get it going then! I’m gonna kick your ass so hard…” Ryuji trailed off, letting the threat linger in the room. 

Ryuji taught Akira how to play; there were so many buttons and too many combinations for Akira to remember, but he enjoyed watching Ryuji teach him. They played for what felt like only a few minutes, but the waning sun broke through their bubble. 

“Shit,” Ryuji mumbled, rubbing the back of his head, “I guess we lost track of time.” 

Akira nodded, rubbing one of his eyes. He turned to Ryuji to find Ryuji looking at him, a gentle smile on his face, “Well, should we get something to eat? I’m starving.” Ryuji leaned back in his chair, and, with perfect timing, his stomach growled.

The boys were quiet for a moment, then burst out laughing. For a moment, they laughed--perhaps more than necessary, though the two boys couldn’t care less--before they were cut short by Sojiro’s voice calling up the stairs.

“Hey! I might not have any customers right now, but that doesn’t give you permission to be loud!”

Ryuji sighed as if he was satisfied before calling back, “Sorry, Boss.”

The stairs creaked, and Sojiro walked into the room. He sighed, placing a hand on his hip, “Don’t worry about it. I’m more worried about you boys, to be completely honest. Why don’t you come downstairs? I have some curry ready, and Futaba will be here soon.”

Akira smiled and nodded, and Ryuji let out a satisfied laugh, “Oh man, I get to spend all day playing video games with my best friend, _and_ I get to eat some of your amazing curry? How much better could this day get?”

Ryuji hesitated when he said _best friend_ , Akira noticed, but he decided to ignore it. 

Sojiro smiled, “You’re always welcome, Ryuji.”

Ryuji stood up and stretched, then walked towards the stairwell, “Thanks, Boss.”

Akira stood as well, following behind Ryuji. Then, they followed Sojiro down the stairs. 

Though you could smell the curry from upstairs, the strong scent of Sojiro’s famous curry hit Akira once he got to the bottom of the stairs; it was rich and warm, and left a sweet taste on the back of Akira’s tongue. 

Futaba walked into the cafe as Ryuji and Akira sat at the counter. Smiling, she greeted Sojiro and the boys before sitting down beside Akira.

The Thieves were never surprised when they saw Akira and Ryuji together—not anymore, at least. In fact, Akira realized that more recently their friends seemed more surprised when Ryuji wasn’t glued to Akira’s side. 

Leblanc was filled with the sound of laughter as the four ate. Though Ryuji still seemed off, his mind in a world somewhere in the back of his mind, he seemed more himself than he had been before. 

Even Futaba seemed to notice that something was off. “Hey, Ryuji,” she said, breaking a particularly strange silence, “are you doing okay?”

Ryuji snapped back into reality, his cheeky grin returning to his face, “Yeah, of course! What about you? Usually you _totally_ out-eat me.”

Futaba straightened her back, “Is that a challenge? Sojiro, give me another plate!”

“Whoa, kiddo. You just said you were full.”

“Time’s change! Now I’m hungry, and I want more curry!”

Sojiro shook his head with a laugh, “Alright, alright. Coming right up.”

Ryuji watched in both awe and terror as Futaba finished another plate. He laughed the loudest when Futaba began complaining about a stomach ache

“I’m going to close up shop early,” Sojiro said after Futaba left. He looked up at Ryuji, still wiping the counter gently, “You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Just make sure you don’t destroy the place."

Ryuji nodded with a grin, “I’ll do my best, Boss.”

Sojiro waved to the boys as he walked by the window; both boys waved back, but Akira noticed that the distant look had returned to Ryuji’s eyes. 

Akira had to get to the bottom of Ryuji’s strange behaviour before it got any worse.

He waited until they were upstairs again, sitting quietly on the couch, before he said anything. When he did, he found that the words came in a near whisper.

“Ryuji, what’s wrong?”

The satisfied smile on Ryuji’s lips faltered for a moment. He glanced over, meeting Akira’s eyes, and after a moment Ryuji let his shoulders sag. “You’re incredible, man.”

“You wear your emotions on your sleeve.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.” Ryuji moved, turning his body towards Akira with a sigh. “Listen, dude, you gotta promise me that no matter what happens, we’re still friends, alright?”

Nothing Ryuji ever did would ever tear them apart; Akira didn’t say that, however, instead nodding. Ryuji sighed again.

“Well, I’ve been thinkin’ a lot recently, and I-well I just--” Ryuji lifted his head, meeting Akira’s eyes for a split second before tearing them away again, gazing down at the floor, then at his hand resting on the back of Akira’s couch, then at the window past Akira’s head, “--I guess I just… think I’m in love with you?”

Akira felt the tension leave his shoulders. Of _course_ that’s what it was.

The words poured from Ryuji's mouth now, the five-word stopper that had been holding his emotions finally loose. “It’s just, every time we’re together I feel--I feel _warm_ and I feel _free_ , and when we’re not together I can just _think_ of you and I’m not alone anymore, and it’s gotten to the point where you’re all I _want_ to think about, and I love the way you’re _there_ and how I feel so _seen_ by you…” he trailed off, finally taking a moment to take a breath. Akira could see the anxiety laced through Ryuji’s muscles, that fear that he’d ruin something that meant so much to him.

Slowly, Akira moved, turning his body to entirely face Ryuji. He let his hands fall on top of the other boys, and he felt as Ryuji clenched the fabric of his pants. Slowly, Ryuji lifted his head, meeting Akira’s eyes with his own. He didn’t look away this time, though, and for just a moment they sat like that.

With a squeeze of his hand, Akira let his smile soften even more, “I love you too.”

Ryuji pulled his hands out from under Akira’s, turning his head away once again, “Yeah, I’m sorry I--” he froze, his eyebrows turning inwards and breath clearly caught in his throat, before looking back at Akira, cheeks flushed, “Wait, did you just…”

Akira nodded. 

All of the anxious tension left Ryuji’s body in an instant, his usual cheeky grin--a real one, with brightly focused eyes--cutting through the deep pink of his cheeks. “Dude, you could’ve said something before!”

He simply replied with a shrug. Then, in a moment of pure impulse, Akira leaned forward, placing a hand on Ryuji’s cheek. “May I?”

Ryuji’s face turned a brilliant shade of red, but his smile didn’t fade as he nodded.

Akira closed the distance between the two of them.

Ryuji’s lips were warm and soft against Akira’s, though he could feel the gentle chapping of the skin. A small exhale escaped Ryuji’s lips, but he returned the kiss with little hesitation. He leaned into Akira, pressing their lips even closer. Akira lifted his other hand to Ryuji’s face, and, simultaneously, Ryuji lifted a hand of his own to rest against Akira’s.

Their lips broke, although they lingered for a moment, hands still intertwined. Slowly, Akira let his eyes flutter open; if possible, Ryuji was an even darker shade of red than before, and Akira couldn’t help the short, breathy laugh that escaped his lips. He watched as Ryuji opened his own eyes, those beautiful brown eyes that were always so full of the exact joy and passion that had made Akira fall in love in the first place.

“Wow, dude,” Ryuji said, his voice light in the falling darkness of the room. Had they been wrapped around each other for that long? Or were their brief moments of silence less brief than Akira had thought?

Either way, Akira couldn’t find it within himself to care.

“I didn’t realize how late it was getting.” The colour had mostly fallen from Ryuji’s cheeks, leaving a gentle rosy pink under his cheekbones. A brilliant smile spread across Ryuji’s face, but was very quickly broken by a dramatic yawn that seemed to consume his whole body. “Man, I’m beat. Crazy how that works, huh?”

Akira nodded with a smile before standing. He turned slightly, reaching a hand towards Ryuji. He took it, gently pushing his fingers between Akira’s as he stood as well. Wordlessly, the two made their way to the bed in the corner.

It took a few moments for the two to wrap themselves around each other in a way that was comfortable, but both seemed to melt into each other once they did. The light cast through the window faded from a soft pinkish-gold to a cool silver as they held each other.

Just as Akira was sure Ryuji was asleep, he shuffled, lifting his head--eyes still closed--towards Akira. “Dude,” Ryuji’s speech was mumbled and slurred, and Akira almost laughed, “why didn’t you ask me out before?”

Akira actually laughed now--though he did it with as little motion as possible, so as not to disturb the nearly-sleeping Ryuji any more-- and said, “I thought you liked Yusuke.”

Ryuji laughed too, though it was stilted with his exhaustion, “I guess I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t attractive, but I don’t think I’m his type.”

“I’ll be sure not to make that mistake again then,” Akira said with a gentle nod.

Ryuji laughed again, even weaker than the last time. “Oh, shuddup.”

Akira could hear the consciousness slipping as Ryuji spoke and, sure enough, within a minute Ryuji was gently snoring against Akira’s chest. With a yawn, Akira lowered his head, placing a gentle kiss on Ryuji’s forehead. Then, Akira pulled him closer, tucking Ryuji’s head under his own chin. As he felt his consciousness slip away into the softly filtered moonlight, Akira couldn’t help but smile once again.

**Author's Note:**

> random fact about this fic: the word 'ryuji' shows up 70 times and makes up about 3.6% of the fic!
> 
> comments are always appreciated!! <3<3<3
> 
> you can find me on twitter @/greedlings_ and on tumblr @/greecllings !!


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